The present invention pertains to a quick attach and disconnect assembly for fluid supply pipes and, more particularly, to a connector and support assembly for the spray water supply pipes in a can washing apparatus.
Newly formed metal food and beverage cans are typically cleaned of forming oils and other contaminants in a high volume can washer in which masses of upstanding or inverted cans are moved on a mesh conveyor between upper and lower banks of laterally extending parallel water supply pipes or risers to each of which a plurality of respectively downwardly and upwardly oriented spray nozzles are attached. By carefully controlling nozzle orientation, flow and pressure, the cans may be moved through the washer supported solely from below by the wire mesh conveyor belt on which the cans are carried.
Each nozzle-carrying supply pipe or riser is typically capped on one end and has its opposite open end connected to a water supply manifold with a demountable coupling. Because of the need to supply large volumes of wash water to both the upper and lower banks of risers and nozzles, which in a conventional can washer may require as many as 20 risers in each bank, multiple manifolds are required for each bank and, correspondingly, multiple header feed pipes bringing water to the nozzles are also required. The resultant complex piping network requires that one side of the can washer housing be devoted primarily to accommodation of the mains supplying the wash water, leaving little or no room for access to the interior of the housing for maintenance, repair and replacement work. However, the use of corrosive wash waters creates the need for frequent maintenance, including disassembly and removal of the riser pipes from both the upper and lower banks. Conventional can washer construction has, therefore, provided worker maintenance and repair access to the housing on the side opposite the wash water supply. Typically, the riser feed manifolds for each bank are located along the access side of the housing and are supplied with wash water from individual header feed pipes which extend all the way through the housing from the piping supply side where they receive wash water from the main supply network. Each of the riser pipes is attached to the manifold with conventional quick disconnect couplings, such as a two-piece collar type utilizing a lever and overcenter cam locking device. These couplings are subject to corrosion and possible failure of the moveable operating components. With the need to remove and clean as many as 40 risers every two or three months, the task is tedious and time consuming. In addition, location of the riser feed manifolds on the access side of the housing requires a substantial number of header feed pipes to be run completely through the housing from the water supply side and may also require removal of the manifold to enable access to the risers for disconnection.